Stop Releasing Sports Games

CCC says: Alright, I’m going to just come right out and say it: All these year-to-year sports games are just a huge cash grab. These annual releases are holding back sports-game development in some pretty profound ways. It would be better off for the entire sports gaming genre if all of these individual sports games just died.

[slimeybrainboy]

As per usual games journalists consistently know sero point zero about sports games.

"Then, monthly, the game updates itself with a fresh set of stats for every player. This will provide a kind of immersion that will link the game with the real world. Has your favorite basketball player been missing shots lately? Then he will do the same in the game. Has a team’s roster changed up because one of their star players had an injury? The game’s roster will update to reflect that."

This has been happening in NBA 2K for years now, FIFA too. This guy knows nothing. I don't play Madden but they probably even do it too.

I play NHL, NBA 2K, and FIFA every year, and games journalism just knows nothing about sports games it's embarrassing.
The same every year? This generation we've seen the take off of the biggest game mode in sports Ultimate Team, 360 degree control, control schemes completely change, dynamic animations, momentum, so much more major changes. Shooters just have to make sure that with the left stick you move, and the right stick you aim. Think of AI in sports games. they have to basically recreate human intelligence, of course they are not at that level yet so they have to spend so much time designing ways to mask and balance things. It's just easily the hardest, yet they get the same wrap every year from people who barely even play the games.

[Maddens Raiders]

^^ This is all true. The thing with Madden though is that the license partnership w/ the NFL needs to come to a swift end with EA. Give someone else a shot at it like SMS, 2K, or even Konami. Hell, it's been nearly 23 years and EA has still, yet to manage a decent crowd and sideline presence in the biggest and most heavily funded sport in the States.

It may sound trivial to some but it's a huge part of the immersion and "true to life" simulation that this title claims and wants to be: "If it's in the game, it's in the game," exclaims the announcer after popping the disc into your console and firing up Madden. Errrm not so fast there EA because there's a lot that's not in your signature game. A lot that you're not including and simply milking this thing for the cash cow it is. Where are the water boys, the doctors, all the assistants and physical therapists?

Where's the on field announcers and trash particles blowing across the field on a windy day? Where are all the towels that players stuff into their pants to keep their hands and arms dry, especially wide receivers and quarterbacks? Why do all of the players on the sideline nearly look identical and why do they all have the same animation at exactly the same time - every time? It's the little things EA... the little things that you fail to implement because of your own hubris, laziness, and reliability on a captive addicted audience to the annual release of your Madden titles.

Not only that but EA nickels and dimes you for every little thing now which used to be free back in the day like the All-Madden teams or the "Greatest Year" teams which used to be part of the game straight away. It's all about the money and greed now with EA. I really cannot stand their company's ethos and will not support them in this regard until they change things in wholesale fashion. Not holding my breath!

[HxCGamer]

AMEN @slimey ...
most "true gamers and journalists" who frequent sites like N4G are just simply not interested in sports. So they bash sports games.
I personally play everything, but when I get bored of a game I ALWAYS go back to playing FIFA.

Yearly release is important to me.

[slimeybrainboy]

Exactly. That's why I hate when journo's act like they know or even care about sports games. And people on IGN or N4G. You have to go to FIFA Soccer Blog to get the views of actual sports gamers, and what needs to be changed.

[Jagsrock]

It sounds good in theory but it's not gonna happen and it probably wouldn't work as smoothly as you think it would. You mentioned A LOT of DLC(some of which i'm not even sure would be possible) which would most likely not be free translating to us pretty much spending the same amount if not more. We could very we'll end up paying more knowing EA and the way they do business, more things will be left out to add later as DLC for $5. Stuff you would have gotten before.

Ideally if they were to go this route. They would implement a season pass time thing for $20 extra(probably more) that would provide all updates and dlc for the off year but that's wishful thinking.

Price wise it really wouldn't benefit consumers and could make for an even more watered down product. Despite games like Madden which have been stagnant in some areas it has improved and there are publishers like 2k which are doing an excellent job. Going all DLC is a dangerous road to go down.

[Godlovesgamers]

"CCC says: Alright, I’m going to just come right out and say it..."

No, CCC, I'm just going to come right out and say it. NOBODY GIVES A DAMN ABOUT YOUR SELF IMPORTANT OPINION PIECES.

Slow news day are NOT an excuse to push out schlock journalism which you seem so content to do. Start putting some real thought and time into your articles instead of just posting glorified facebook rants on why you don't think "this" or "that" is good or bad for the gaming industry, which you are clearly on the outside of to begin with.

[strigoi814]

Sports games give you variety if you are bored of playing same old same..i play my sports game when i really get bored of what im playing and tired of shooting at people..the only thing for me on sports game is the fact that i have to buy another one every year just to see a different roster, if only they can give me one that will last for like at least 2 years

[HxCGamer]

you clearly don't play enough to know that games like fifa update the roster and stats weekly..

[DragonPs4]

I will buy a couple of madden games during a gen but not every year.

[wiggles]

"Alright, I’m going to just come right out and say it: All these year-to-year sports games are just a huge cash grab."

Lol no shit.. Why would EA or any other company stray away from generating huge profits and minimum to decent effort?

The author doesn't even try and justify any of the points. There is just an assumption that it takes a flip of the switch. I'm no Dev, but there has to be more to it then just flipping a switch.

In all honesty there is very little that you can change in terms of adding new modes. It would be nice to have more expanded features in Season mode, but outside of that there is not to much that you can do.

In all honesty the author's mode cost seems like Micro transactions. Giving everyone a base game and then only charging for certain modes. and roster updates.

[spaceg0st]

i was just having this discussion with a friend of mine. Sports games have become stale. Just think of the yearly games that come out. They've been using the same, general formula for 5+ years. The games are no longer fresh/exciting. Sure, every year they add some sort of marketable gimmick, but really, the core doesn't or hasn't changed.

Madden, i remember one year the big news was ADDED REFS to the field... seriously.

Tiger Woods tweaks the putting mechanics and caddy help... but still same core gameplay and looks.

Fifa promises to add NEW and MORE animations every year.. making passing more fluid and lifelike... something that 90% of people wouldn't really notice about or care.

MLB the show is a beautiful sim... but even that has come out with yearly releases promising 'even MORE realistic' animations and even more realistic ball movement off the bat.

I don't play NHL games any more, but i remember them having the same issues...

point is, Even with the little differences and enhancements every year, you're still essentially playing the same game for over 5 years... and it's getting boring. Sure all you trolls will get butt hurt and 'rabble rabble rabble, don't talk about my game that way!" .. but whatever. You're lack of an intelligent response will surely follow

[iceman06]

I would agree with you in general. However, would also point out that just about EVERY game that has a yearly release suffers to the same extent. No time to generate a new engine, no time to do more than just tweak things, most of the improvements end up being more PR talk than truth. It's really just the nature of yearly releases. It's over saturation of a market. It happens. Now, you will have your diehard fans of a franchise, whether it be FIFA or CoD, that can run the PR check marks and note each and every little change. End the end, it won't change because sports are a major part of society and sports gaming has carved out a lucrative little niche for itself.